(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department coordinate with the United States Department of Agriculture, the federal Food and Drug Administration, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement the expanded antimicrobial resistance surveillance efforts included in the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, and that the information gathered through this effort will help lead to a better understanding of the links between antimicrobial use patterns in livestock and the development of antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections.

(b) (1) The department shall gather information on medically important antimicrobial drug sales and usage, as well as antimicrobial resistant bacteria and livestock management practice data. Monitoring efforts shall not be duplicative of the National Animal Health Monitoring System and the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, and, to the extent feasible, the department shall coordinate with the United States Department of Agriculture, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the federal Food and Drug Administration in the development of these efforts.

(2) In coordinating with the National Animal Health Monitoring System and the National Antimicrobial Resistant Monitoring System, the department shall gather representative samples from all of the following:

(A) California’s major livestock segments.

(B) Regions with considerable livestock production.

(C) Representative segments of the food production chain.

(c) The department shall work with willing participants to gather samples and shall consult with, and conduct outreach to, livestock producers, licensed veterinarians, and any other relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the monitoring efforts. Participation in this effort shall be done in a manner that does not breach veterinary-client-patient confidentiality laws.

(d) (1) The department shall report to the Legislature by January 1, 2019, the results of its outreach activities and monitoring efforts. The department shall advise the Legislature as to whether or not participation is sufficient to provide statistically relevant data. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(2) This subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2023, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

(e) The department shall seek funds from federal, state, and other sources to implement this section.

(f) The department may promulgate regulations to implement this section.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.)